July 2003 News Article Archive

« Year 2003 SummaryMan held in robbery of Bally's - 31 July 2003It may have seemed like a more direct route to a jackpot than playing the slots, but like most casino gambles, this one did not pay off for long.State police yesterday announced the arrest of a 41-year-old man in connection with an armed robbery of the coin-redemption booth Friday at Bally's Atlantic City, one of four - read more »

Casino Fandango gets preview - 31 July 2003About 200 people were invited to a preview of Casino Fandango in south Carson City on Tuesday evening. The parking lot was packed, and it was standing-room only in the New York-style deli designed to seat 180."This is very nice, very elegant," said Carson City resident Celia Robles. "I love the decorations."The casino - read more »

Leonard to bring 3-fight deal to casino near Tucson - 31 July 2003Sugar Ray Leonard plans to use the promotional power of his name near a city where he once displayed power in his punches.Leonard, a legendary welterweight and middleweight, announced on Wednesday a three-fight deal with Desert Diamond Casino south of Tucson, the city where nearly 25 years ago he scored the second of o - read more »

Ehrlichs Celebrate Birthdays At Home, Anniversary in Vegas - 31 July 2003It was party time last week at the Governor's Mansion in Annapolis. First, about three-dozen preschoolers descended on the big house July 24 to celebrate first son Drew Ehrlich's fourth birthday. The little people -- most of them from Timonium, where Drew lived before his daddy was elected governor -- chowed down pizza - read more »

Pennsylvania Slots Legislation Delayed Once Again - 31 July 2003The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate returned to a brief session July 28 but didn't consider racetrack slots legislation. It previously had buried a bill passed by the House, and it had predicted it would be after Labor Day before it considers the topic again.Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill, a Lebanon - read more »

Norwegian gambling monopoly threatened - 31 July 2003The EEA agreement could put a stop to the Norwegian government's plans to give the national betting service, Norsk Tipping, a monopoly on running gambling machines. The EEA surveillance department ESA is raising critical questions about a new law proposal that would give Norsk Tipping a monopoly on the gambling machine - read more »

NBA legend backing casino plan - 30 July 2003Now that he's back in Indiana as an executive with the Pacers, Larry Bird says he wants to help bring a riverboat casino to his economically depressed hometown.In a statement released Friday through his agent, Bird said he is assessing how he can play a part in a riverboat project, particularly in ways that might benef - read more »

Aladdin posts $4.9 million loss - 30 July 2003The holding company for the Aladdin hotel-casino reported a $4.9 million loss in June, according to a U.S. Bankruptcy Court filing.Aladdin Gaming LLC, which operates the Strip hotel, said in its monthly operating report that the company took in $19.4 million in revenue and had $21.7 million in expenses for the month fo - read more »

Former Vegas exec to run Carson City's newest casino - 30 July 2003Carson City's newest casino, the Fandango, will open by Friday and it will be run by a former Las Vegas gaming executive.Larry Woolf, a former executive at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and at Caesars Tahoe, will be operating the club that will initially have 175 slot machines and five table games.The club, located in an aban - read more »

MGM Pulls Out of Race for Vivendi Media Assets - 30 July 2003The multibillion-dollar auction for Vivendi Universal's film, television and theme park operations was upended Tuesday when the suitor with the most cash on the table, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., abruptly walked away, making it harder for the French conglomerate to ignite a bidding war.MGM, controlled by casino and enter - read more »

Battle Lines Being Drawn in Gambling Debate - 30 July 2003The battle lines are being drawn between supporters and opponents of casino gambling in the Branson-Lakes area. For the fourth time in a decade, city leaders in Branson have voted to oppose gambling in any form in Branson and the surrounding area. "Gambling would completely and totally turn around our whole tourism e - read more »

Casino yields a windfall: Computers for entire tribe - 30 July 2003Dayle Denetdeel's big brown eyes were fixed on the glowing blue screen and shiny silver and black plastic."I'm going to learn how to work it," the 5-year-old said determinedly as she stretched her arms high above her head, reaching for the new computer on the worktable. Her fingers barely hooked onto the table's edge b - read more »

Second Traverse County Casino Approved - 30 July 2003A Traverse County Indian tribe is eying the city for the site of a new casino. In an amendment to an existing compact, the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians last week received approval from Gov. Jennifer Granholm for the second casino in either Emmet or Charlevoix counties."Getting approval for a second casino - read more »

Problem gambling antitrust lawsuit settled - 30 July 2003The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with the National Council on Problem Gambling Inc., the nation's largest provider of educational materials and other resources to help compulsive gamblers, that is expected to resolve an antitrust lawsuit filed last month against the nonprofit group.The Justice De - read more »

Hesperia new casino player - 30 July 2003Another American Indian tribe from outside the county is looking to tap into the flow of Las Vegas-bound traffic. The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe from Death Valley in Inyo County is proposing a hotel-casino at the southwest corner of Main Street and Interstate 15, Mayor Dennis Nowicki said Tuesday.The casino would provide - read more »

Harrah's hosts outdoor Monopoly - 30 July 2003With a little luck of the dice, Freddie Osborn passed go and jail to collect $100,000 in an outdoor Monopoly game presented by Harrah's Reno casino Tuesday.“I was sitting eight places down, and I rolled a 10,” said the 60-year-old from Sarah, Miss. “And I came a running.”Beside him was a person in a shoe costume, one o - read more »

Casino slot-changers lose their human touch - 30 July 2003To the list of jobs becoming obsolete due to technology, add casino slot-change attendant. In their heyday, the change agents wheeled around carts stocked with slot-machine tokens and small denominations of U.S. currency for gamblers wanting to break big bills. But technology -- freestanding bill-breaking devices, curr - read more »

Casinos scheme for Premiership clubs - 30 July 2003A Las Vegas tycoon plans to cash in on changes to UK gambling laws by opening casinos at Premiership grounds. Gaming magnate Sheldon G Adelson has already approached several top clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, to discuss the idea. The casinos would be huge, taking up around 30,000 square feet, and could make club - read more »

Seneca vote to determine interest in area casino - 29 July 2003The Seneca Nation Tribal Council has agreed to hold a referendum Sept. 9 to determine if Seneca Nation members want a casino in Salamanca.The referendum will read, “Do you support the establishment of Class III gaming on the Allegany territory?”Seneca Nation President Rickey L. Armstrong said two hearings will be held - read more »

Two heists in three days at Atlantic City casinos - 29 July 2003Casinos were double-checking their surveillance and alarm systems Monday after two strikingly similar robberies in three days.In both, an unidentified man with a pistol held up a coin redemption window and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.In the first, a man in a Phillies baseball cap walked up - read more »

Man Utd and MGM in casino talks - 29 July 2003Manchester United may have won the UK premiership last season, but some of the fizz has gone out of the most heavily marketed football club in the world when it sold star player/pin-up David Beckham to Real Madrid. Worse than that, they now to compete with a domestic rival with deeper pockets: Chelsea, whose new owner - read more »

Vargas angling for casino bout south of Tucson - 28 July 2003In the battle to reclaim a major title and move toward a possible rematch with Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas wants to fight Oct. 3 at Casino Del Sol, south of Tucson.That step was disclosed before and after Vargas' sixth-round TKO Saturday night of Fitz Vanderpool at Los Angeles' Olympic Auditorium in his first bou - read more »

Blackpool gambles on its towering strength - 28 July 2003Like almost everywhere else in Britain, it was raining in Blackpool yesterday. So hard that a cafe street sign was irresistible: "Happy hour: tea cake - buy one, get one free." But Colin Asplin, the president of the Blackpool Guest House Association, was unfazed by a downpour that enveloped the famous tower in mist. "B - read more »

Longshot casino eyes foothills - 28 July 2003A Mississippi company just completed a $1 million reverse merger into a failed Minnesota software company to create a public company whose aim is to develop a $100 million tribal casino in Amador County for the Ione Band of Miwok. That's the easy part; the rest gets complicated. The Ione Band of Miwok doesn't have an - read more »

Casino construction was a race against calendar - 28 July 2003Only once during the breakneck construction schedule of Thunder Valley Casino did the night foreman feel like throwing his hard hat at someone. Ordinarily, it would take a year or more to build a 210,000-square-foot gaming center like the one in south Placer County, but Phoenix-based Perini Building Co. built the $21 - read more »

Tom Jones, Harrah's executive inducted into Gaming Hall of Fame - 27 July 2003Singer Tom Jones and Harrah's chairman Phil Satre were inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame Saturday night at the new Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa.It marked the first time in the event's 15-year history that the ceremony was held outside Las Vegas, and it coincided with the 25th anniversary of casino gambling in Atlan - read more »

Sanford worries Catawba bingo plan would bring casinos to S.C. - 27 July 2003U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., says federal legislation for a high-stakes bingo hall in Orangeburg County will help the economically depressed area, but Gov. Mark Sanford worries the bill could be unlucky for the state.The proposed bill would grant the Catawba Indian Nation a high-stakes bingo hall in Santee.Sanford, a - read more »

Tribe hires casino construction team - 27 July 2003The Northern Arapaho tribe has hired a pair of construction firms and an architect to develop and build a new casino on the Wind River Indian Reservation, the tribe announced Thursday.Auburn, Wash.-based Eagle Construction and Mercer Island, Wash.-based Bayley Construction have formed a joint venture firm called Eagle/ - read more »

Vegas councilwoman joins board of Station Casinos - 27 July 2003City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald has been appointed to the board of directors at Station Casinos, a part-time position that could prevent her from voting on some casino-related items before the council.Boggs McDonald, who called the position"an opportunity of a lifetime,"said she doesn't believe she will have t - read more »

GAMBLING TRIBES - Davis to begin talks over gaming pacts - 27 July 2003Thirty-five California Indian tribes want to sign gambling agreements with the state, on top of the 61 tribes that currently have state pacts to operate casinos, Gov. Gray Davis' administration said Friday.Davis wants to include all 96 tribes in ongoing negotiations over conditions under which the tribes operate casino - read more »

Web gambling issue zeroes in on Broward - 27 July 2003Online gambling, an economic boon for developing nations, is raising worry in Costa Rica, congressional backlash in the United States and law enforcement brows in South Florida.Illegal in the United States, the gambling operations are gladly given shelter in countries starved for high-paying jobs. Some of the operators - read more »

Indian gaming is about to hit growth spurt - 27 July 2003Moving up to gambling's big leagues, the Pala Indian band is about to open a 10-story hotel at its large North County casino.The lesser-known La Posta tribe in East County just wants to get into the game and is seeking a state compact to build a small casino.Both endeavors are part of the next wave of Indian gaming to - read more »

State files suit in casino battle - 26 July 2003Kansas officials have returned to federal court to try to block a plan by the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma to open a casino in Kansas City, Kan.A lawsuit filed by the state is the latest twist in its seven-year legal battle over the casino, proposed for a former Masonic building adjacent to a tribal cemetery and across - read more »

Diverse faiths united in opposition to slots - 26 July 2003It's not often that Methodists, Mormons, Muslims, Presbyterians and Lutherans team up, but they were united yesterday in denouncing problems they see coming from Gov. Ed Rendell's plans for expanding gambling in Pennsylvania.Led by officials from No Dice, an 8-year-old anti-gambling citizens group, speakers from a wide - read more »

Park Place Says Iraq War Hurt Net Income - 25 July 2003Park Place Entertainment Corp., the world's largest casino company, said second-quarter profit slumped 57% because the war in Iraq hurt bookings. Net income fell to $41 million, or 14 cents a share, from $96 million, or 31 cents, a year earlier. Revenue fell less than 1% to $1.19 billion, the Las Vegas-based company sa - read more »

Delaware slots bracing for Pennsylvania threat - 25 July 2003Pennsylvania lawmakers are grappling with competing versions of a plan to legalize slot machines and generate as much as $1 billion in state revenue - and attract business away from Delaware's gaming venues. Last week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill calling for nine gaming facilities. Seven wou - read more »

State appeals casino decision - 25 July 2003A seven-year legal battle over a proposed tribal casino in downtown Kansas City, Kan., continues to rage in the courts.The latest development involves an appeal by the state of a federal agency's decision that was favorable to the tribe.The Wyandotte Tribe left Kansas more than a century ago for its reservation in Okla - read more »

Tribe's casino plan prompts a backlash in Sonoma area - 25 July 2003In a hayfield on the northern edge of the San Francisco Bay, an American Indian tribe wants to regain a parcel of land from its past - and pave its future with profits from a big casino.Backed by a Nevada gambling company, they have courted powerful politicians and made plans to build a gambling resort with 1,900 slot - read more »

Gambling Take Here Is Fairly Modest - 25 July 2003California's take from the gambling industry is modest compared with that of other states: $180 million a year from horse tracks, card rooms and tribes. Although California is the second-largest gambling state, after Nevada, at least seven others receive more, according to surveys by the National Assn. of State Budget - read more »

Career Built on Math of Blackjack Multiplies - 24 July 2003'Not too many good blackjack players take on the California casinos," Stanford Wong was telling me this week at his La Jolla home. "They're not that attractive. It's partially the lousy rules, and partially the low stakes."Wong, who was born John Ferguson some 60 years ago, was explaining why the explosion of Indian ga - read more »

Oregon Indians overcome history and angry neighbors to win a casino - 24 July 2003The north fork of the Siuslaw River was once the site of a bustling American Indian village, whose tribe fished for salmon and gathered oysters and clams. Tribal leaders hope to restore that sustenance by building a surefire revenue stream: a Las-Vegas style casino, the first in Oregon on nonreservation land. "This is - read more »

Gambling Rolls into Sonoma Wine Country - 24 July 2003Tourists have long come to Alexander Valley for its scenery, supple Cabernets and intimate wineries. For the past year, it has also been a place to bet on blackjack or arm-wrestle a slot machine at River Rock Casino, the San Francisco Bay Area's largest Native American gaming facility. But many residents of this rural - read more »

Hard Rock on a roll - 24 July 2003The Mississippi Gaming Commission approved plans Wednesday for a $225 million Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, and developers said work should begin on the resort by October.The resort, which will be built on the site of the old Gold Shore Casino, just east of Beau Rivage, will have a 306-room hotel, about 50,000 - read more »

Stations Casinos sees profits more than double - 24 July 2003Stations Casinos Inc., which operates the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, saw its profits more than double in the second quarter, compared to last year. The Las Vegas company netted $20.6 million in the second quarter, up 158.6 percent from profit of $8 million in the second quarter of 2002. For the first six months, - read more »

Casino ready to grow - 24 July 2003Black Oak Casino will be nearly six times bigger by the end of next year, and it will offer a lot more than gambling. On tap are a 24-lane bowling alley, a "kids' fun" restaurant, a higher-end "signature" restaurant, a 250-seat entertainment lounge, a sports bar and a 3,000-to-4,000-square-foot arcade, said Lester Ling - read more »

Madigan won't OK casino pact - 23 July 2003Attorneys for the bankrupt Emerald Casino argued Tuesday that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan opposed at the last minute a plan allowing shareholders to receive their initial investment back if the casino license was sold.The Illinois Gaming Board and Emerald had reached a settlement that outlined how the licens - read more »

Gambling foe asks for investigation into racetrack owner - 23 July 2003An outspoken Senate foe of gambling has asked Gov. Ed Rendell to order an investigation into the finances of the owner of the Philadelphia Park racetrack, questioning the business practices that have allowed the track to avoid paying much in federal and state income taxes.Sen. Gibson Armstrong, R-Lancaster, in a letter - read more »

Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn signs $836 million tax bill - 23 July 2003Gov. Kenny Guinn ended months of rancorous legislative debate Tuesday when he signed a record $836 million tax bill that will fund schools and the state's $5 billion budget over the next two years.The tax increase is the largest in state history and represents what the Republican governor said was a"Herculean effort"to - read more »

Casino taps into beer and wine sales - 23 July 2003No big advertising campaign in advance and no fanfare at noon yesterday announced the first glasses of beer and wine served at Black Oak Casino in Tuolumne. "We had just got here when they announced they were going to serve beer and wine for the first time," said John Thomas of Turlock about 12:30 p.m. "It's a good thi - read more »

Growth of Tribal Casino Betting Beats Las Vegas - 23 July 2003Tribal casino betting grew 13% last year, four times faster than gambling in Las Vegas or on Mississippi riverboats.Tribal casinos took in $14.5 billion last year, compared with $12.8 billion in 2001, according to National Indian Gaming Commission data reported Tuesday by the Desert Sun. The study said nearly all the g - read more »

Group teams up with inn to propose casino - 23 July 2003A development group pushing to secure approval for building a casino in downtown has joined forces with the owners of an inn to propose a gambling facility at a site called Terrace Point, near the inn. The Archimedes Group and the owners of the Shoreline Inn & Suites, John and Susan Payne, have reached an agreement to - read more »

Gambling ship fees paid to St. Petersburg - 23 July 2003After months of delays, owners of a 450-foot gambling ship paid more than $300,000 and signed a lease Tuesday to dock the Ocean Jewel of St. Petersburg at the city's port."We realize that we had some bumps in the beginning," Mayor Rick Baker said. "But we want the community to feel confident that we're moving forward a - read more »

D'Iberville mayor: Casino coming soon - 22 July 2003After eight years of wrangling, construction could begin this fall on a $150 million casino resort, said D'Iberville Mayor Rusty Quave.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District is expected to release an environmental impact statement in early September on the casino's effect on wetlands and aquatic life, Quave - read more »

Nebraska Lottery sales up for second year - 22 July 2003The Nebraska Lottery is on a roll. Ticket sales increased 9.4 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30. The previous year lottery sales were up 11 percent, breaking five straight years of decline. The most recent two-year period was the first time that sales increased in back-to-back years since the first two years o - read more »

2002 tribal casino revenue outpaces U.S. gaming sites - 22 July 2003Indian casino expansions and the proximity of residents living near reservations pushed the revenues of tribal gaming up 13 percent, four times faster than gambling in Las Vegas or on Mississippi riverboats.Tribal casinos raked in $14.5 billion in the fiscal year ending in 2002, compared with $12.8 billion in 2001, acc - read more »

Robbery Suspect Shot By Police Outside Casino - 21 July 2003A suspect in an attempted robbery was shot by police Saturday after a scuffle between the entrances of two casinos.A second suspect remained at large.Police said two suspects tried to commit a robbery outside Bally's Atlantic City shortly before 4:30 p.m. An officer stopped one of them on Pop Lloyd Boulevard, and a scu - read more »

Bay Area towns weigh value of big-time gaming - 21 July 2003Standing on San Pablo Avenue at the edge of Emeryville, the Oaks Card Club has been a staple of life in this up-and-coming city since the beginning, opening its doors for the first time one year before the city incorporated in 1895. Since then, it has grown to become Emeryville's single-largest taxpayer, contributing $ - read more »

Proposal for a bingo hall receives cold shoulder from Covina officials - 21 July 2003A proposed bingo operation stands little chance of becoming a reality because of strong opposition by the City Council."I don't like the idea of using any form of gambling to subsidize the city budget,' said Covina Mayor Walt Allen III. "I am leery of these types of operations, because I suspect they might lead to addi - read more »

City weighs options if casino cuts hours - 19 July 2003If the Alton Belle Casino goes ahead with plans to reduce its hours of operation, city officials plan to keep an eye on any resulting decline in admissions or receipts that would affect gaming tax revenues coming in to Alton.The city's fiscal year 2003-2004 budget expects Alton to get $7.6 million in gaming tax revenue - read more »

Casino expansion to be studied - 19 July 2003The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted unanimously Friday to authorize a study of whether it should permit an expansion of the state's riverboat casino industry.State gambling regulators said they expect to receive the consultant's report this fall. The study will focus on whether there is a sufficient market for - read more »

Four casinos seek to reduce operating hours - 19 July 2003Four Illinois casinos want to reduce the hours they are open because of higher state gambling taxes that went into effect July 1, some casino operators said Thursday.The casinos plan to ask for the reduced hours Friday during a meeting of the Illinois Gaming Board."They're trying to reduce costs as much as they possibl - read more »

Deal settles Lucky Lady casino charges - 19 July 2003An attorney for a Billings casino owner charged with allowing customers to gamble on credit said Thursday a deal has been struck with prosecutors to drop the felony charge. Philip Keith will pay “a modest civil penalty and fine” and agree to other conditions in exchange for the dismissal of a felony charge of credit ga - read more »

Play blackjack with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe - 18 July 2003You might be surprised if you take a visit to the Imperial Palace Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. Especially if you believe Elvis is alive. Probably more so if you're Madonna. They've recently added a new twist to their casino. They've replaced some of their dealers with famous celebrities, living or dead, fictional or real - read more »

Judge upholds N.Y. casino law - 18 July 2003Legislation authorizing up to six casinos to be built in western New York and the Catskill Mountains, and video slot machines at horse racing tracks, was upheld today by a state judge.So far, only one of the six casinos has been opened -- by the Seneca Indian Nation in Niagara Falls -- and none of the electronic slot m - read more »

Company planning 'Star Wars' slot - 18 July 2003International Game Technology today announced a contract with Lucasfilm Ltd. that will allow IGT to create a gaming machine based on the "Star Wars" movie series."The development of the Star Wars video slot will be a significant gaming event," said Joe Kaminkow, IGT's vice president of game design. "Those who stood in - read more »

IGT posts strong earnings on cashless technology - 18 July 2003International Game Technology today announced another quarter of record earnings, a winning streak company officials said is fueled by demand for replacement machines with cashless technology.For the third quarter ending June 28, the Reno-based company reported net income of $103.7 million, or 30 cents per share, up fr - read more »

MGM MIRAGE earnings hurt by slow economy - 18 July 2003Second-quarter profit dipped 47 percent at MGM MIRAGE as revenue increases were overshadowed by escalating costs and the war in Iraq, the casino-resort operator said today.And MGM MIRAGE today said it expects to earn about 30 cents this quarter, or about 9 cents below what Wall Street analysts had forecast. The company - read more »

Castaways exec outlines property's woes - 18 July 2003A Castaways hotel-casino executive on Wednesday detailed problems at the struggling Las Vegas property, saying it was denied its best shot at raising funds to convert into a Holiday Inn franchise.Attorneys for Vestin Mortgage of Las Vegas, the Castaways' primary lender owed more than $20 million, questioned the value o - read more »

Gaming briefs for July 17, 2003 - 18 July 2003An attempt by Bally's Casino to get major lease concessions from the Orleans Levee Board may be scuttled by reports that the casino could be sold."This was a tough deal to consider before, and it may be an impossible one to consider now," Board President Jim Huey said Wednesday.Bally's wants a restructured agreement th - read more »

Casino development in England planned - 18 July 2003Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. has announced plans for a casino and entertainment complex in Coventry, England, that would be the largest in Britain.Isle of Capri will partner with Arena Coventry Ltd. to build a 100,000-square-foot casino, officials said Wednesday.The casino will be part of the $95 million Arena Coventry e - read more »

Coralville not interested in gambling boat - 17 July 2003A group of investors want to roll the dice on a riverboat casino in Coralville and residents are receiving telephone calls aimed at gauging their interest in the project. Coralville leaders, however, said they want no part of it.Gary Hoyer, a lawyer from Fort Madison and representative for the investor group, said init - read more »

Gamblers, Not Victims - 17 July 2003I was fully prepared to criticize Senior U.S. District Judge Milton Pollack for dismissing two lawsuits against Merrill Lynch & Co. recently. In one case, investors alleged that analysts' research reports were "materially" misleading in violation of federal securities laws. In a second case, an investor in the Merrill - read more »

Fumo threatens effort to OK slots - 17 July 2003Senate Democrats who handed Gov. Rendell his first major victory when they passed slot-machine legislation three weeks ago now stand to block a revised gambling bill from reaching his desk.Rendell and House leaders have proposed expanding gambling venues by allowing one non-racetrack facility each in Philadelphia and P - read more »

Gambling expansion petition approved - 16 July 2003Supporters of the latest effort to expand casino gambling in Missouri have received state approval to begin gathering the petition signatures needed for a November 2004 vote.The proposed constitutional amendment, approved Monday for initiative petition circulation, would authorize a casino in Rockaway Beach on Lake Tan - read more »

Supercasino sought for downtown - 16 July 2003Two Vancouver casino owners and the city's bingo-hall operator, with support from local charities, have banded together to ask city council to approve a new super-casino and bingo hall with 600 slot machines downtown.And they've said forcefully that it won't be fair to allow slots at the racetrack -- a proposal council - read more »

New Bedford Oceanarium casino links investigated - 16 July 2003A top state official already probing the beseiged New Bedford Oceanarium is now taking a close look at a series of land deals brokered by two board members for a proposed casino in the city."In this case, I think the parties involved would be best advised to follow the state's conflict of interest laws," Inspector Gene - read more »

Convictions overturned in casino murder case - 15 July 2003The Nevada Supreme Court overturned the convictions Monday of a former topless dancer and her lover in the 1998 robbery and killing of former Las Vegas casino executive Ted Binion. The court also overturned other convictions against Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish stemming from an attempt to steal more than $5 million in - read more »

King to headline anti-casino dinner - 15 July 2003Former Gov. Angus King will speak Tuesday at the Nonantum Resort to help raise funds for efforts to oppose a $650 million resort casino in Maine.At $200 a head, the function will attempt to green the grassroots effort to sway voters against a question headed for a citizen's ballot November 4. The referendum question wo - read more »

Park Place Entertainment changing name - 15 July 2003Park Place Entertainment, the world's largest casino company, announced Tuesday that it intends to change its name to Caesars Entertainment Inc.Wallace R. Barr, who took over late last year as president and chief executive, called Caesars a more powerful name in the international marketplace than Park Place."The new na - read more »

Tote cashes in on gambling boom - 15 July 2003Britain's gambling boom has sent sales at the Tote soaring by almost half to £916m, ahead of next year's expected privatisation of the 75-year-old bookmaker. Telephone betting turnover rose 51% to £198m while its 435 High Street shops enjoyed a 50% gain. For the first time, off course turnover through shops was worth m - read more »

AngelCiti Brings Donates to US Non-Profit Organization - 14 July 2003July 11th, 2003 AngelCiti Entertainment's (OTCBB: AGLC) wholly owned subsidiary Worldwide Management announced that it is donating through SharkCasino.com an undisclosed amount to support The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation a non-profit organization located in Santa Cruz, California. The donations will be used to pa - read more »

Experts say gambling problems on the rise for America's youth - 14 July 2003Whether with their friends at parties, at school or in solitude on the Internet, millions of American teens are taking up an ever-more-accessible national pastime - gambling.Much of the action is small-time - underage purchases of lottery tickets, playing cards or dice games for spare change. But experts say the long-t - read more »

Harrah's Casino dominates gambling N.O. market - 14 July 2003The New Orleans gambling market has not recovered from the opening of Harrah's New Orleans Casino in October 1999, according to a report from Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.Deutsche Bank said that in the 40 months after the opening of Harrah's, revenues at the three riverboats in the city are still 12 percent below pre-H - read more »

More Stars Slated for Celine's Vegas Colosseum - 12 July 2003The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, the state-of-the-art Las Vegas showroom built for Celine Dion, is getting some new, high-profile guests. Latin superstar Gloria Estefan said Thursday she will play seven shows Oct. 10-19 at the venue. What's more, Billboard has learned that Elton John is in negotiations for a three-year - read more »

Casinos can be open 24 hours - 12 July 2003Late-night patrons to most of Indiana's floating casinos will no longer have to leave before the sun comes up. The Indiana Gaming Commission approved Friday requests for extended hours at the state's 10 floating casinos. Seven casinos, including Argosy Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg and Belterra in Vevay, will be open - read more »

Higher taxes scare casino industry - 12 July 2003Peter Carlino is chairman and chief executive officer of Penn National Gaming, a Wyomissing, Penn., company that owns three Mississippi casinos: Boomtown Casino Biloxi, Casino Magic Bay St. Louis and Hollywood Casino Tunica.Carlino, 56, has turned Penn National into a major regional casino company, with resorts stretch - read more »

Cherokee Tribe Takes More Control Over Casino Operation - 12 July 2003The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has taken more control over its $155,000,000-a-year gambling enterprise by putting seven former tribal officials in top positions at its casino. The seven promotions -- a vice president, an assistant vice president, three directors, an assistant director and a manager -- bring leade - read more »

Veterans behind slots petition - 12 July 2003Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol in Nebraska could each have up to 50 slot machines under a new gambling petition supported by veterans groups. A coalition of veterans groups, including the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, wants a constitutional amendment allowing nonprofit organizations to spon - read more »

Casino magnate's £6.9m flutter takes hidden Rembrandt to Vegas - 11 July 2003An American casino magnate yesterday paid a record £6.9m at auction in London for a Rembrandt self-portrait that had been hidden by overpainting for more than three centuries. The auctioneer Sotheby's said it was the highest price ever paid for a self-portrait of the Dutch master. The image had probably been overpainte - read more »

Promotions push tribe toward leadership goals at Harrah's - 11 July 2003The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has promoted seven former tribal officials to top positions at Harrah's Cherokee Casino, giving the tribe more control over the $155-million-a-year enterprise. The seven promotions - a vice president, an assistant vice president, three directors, an assistant director and a manager - read more »

Blackjack dealer accused of ‘palming’ $700K of chips in three years - 11 July 2003A longtime dealer at Harrah's Lake Tahoe is accused of stealing close to $700,000 of gaming chips from her employer, court documents reveal.A preliminary hearing is set July 29 in Tahoe Township Justice Court for Patricia Diaz, also known as Patricia Griffith, on felony charges of racketeering and grand theft in a sche - read more »

Casinos ready to roll 24 hours - 11 July 2003Some of the state's casinos could be open all the time starting tonight, if the Indiana Gaming Commission, as expected, approves plans today for the riverboats to stay open 24 hours.While all 10 casinos intend to stay open around the clock on weekends, just seven boats plan to stay open 24 hours a day, seven days each - read more »

Municipal hosts want more cash from slots - 11 July 2003East Hanover Twp. may have a casino in the near future, but local officials want a bigger piece of the pie. Township officials said they hope that if legislators allow slots at racetracks, the host municipality gets a bigger share than being discussed. Penn National Gaming plans to build a casino if slots legislation i - read more »

Las Vegas No.1 in new home sales - 11 July 2003"People either love Las Vegas or they hate it," says former Chicagoan Stephanie Bryson. "Personally, I think it's a great place to live." Tired of shoveling snow, she headed west a year ago and bought a condo at Summerlin, a massive master-planned development in the Las Vegas Valley. "I wanted to go where it was sunny, - read more »

Norwich To Make Case For Three Rivers Site - 10 July 2003With the fate of Three Rivers Community College suddenly uncertain, city officials are preparing to argue that the college should expand at its Thames Valley campus on New London Turnpike.The state Board of Trustees for Community Colleges had endorsed the site in December 2001, six months before settling on the college - read more »

Video poker sweep snags 11 - 10 July 2003County and federal law enforcement officials closed 13 video poker rooms Wednesday in a countywide sting that resulted in 11 arrests and more than $13,800 confiscated.While the chances are high that these poker rooms will soon relocate, for now the closings mean fewer gambling places, said Mecklenburg County Sheriff Ji - read more »

The New Card Shark - 10 July 2003When an accountant named Chris Moneymaker won $2.5 million in the World Series of Poker last May, the chatter in the poker world wasn't focused on his skillful bluffing, his tremendous luck or even the aptness of his surname. Everyone wanted to know how a man who had never before sat down at a tournament table could cl - read more »

Acres Gaming says class-action suit filed vs. co. - 09 July 2003Acres Gaming AGAM.O , which recently agreed to be bought by slot machine maker International Game Technology IGT.N , said on Wednesday that a class-action suit had been filed against the company and its directors seeking to void the deal.Acres, based in Las Vegas, said the suit alleged that its directors violated their - read more »

Sweet tooth of Elvis draws $2 million bid - 09 July 2003Diehard devotees of the King are all shook up. Fans are jumping on an Internet auction site to bid on a pearly white tooth, purportedly from the mouth of Elvis Presley, along with a lock of the late rock legend's hair and a gold-plated copy of the hit single, "Love Me Tender."The items, which were on display until rece - read more »

Grand Casino Gulfport has new general manager - 09 July 2003Bill Wright, vice president of hotel operations for Bally's Las Vegas, is the new general manager of Grand Casino Gulfport. Wright, 39, replaces Joe Billhimer, who announced last month he was leaving Grand Casino. Billhimer will head up a group that plans to build a Hard Rock Casino Hotel in Biloxi. Wright, a native of - read more »

Casino foes seek county support - 09 July 2003Angry neighbors pressed the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to stand with them against the expansion of San Manuel Bingo and Casino and intercede with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.Arguing that the expansion would bring unacceptable levels of traffic and pollution into their San Bernardino neighborhood al - read more »

Okoboji-area voters reject casino plan - 09 July 2003If a casino moratorium is lifted in Iowa, the Lake Okoboji resort area will not be in the game. Voters rejected an attempt Tuesday to allow casinos in Dickinson County, home of the lake-resort communities in northwest Iowa frequented by Nebraskans and other vacationers. Unofficial totals showed 5,092 against casinos an - read more »

Problem gambling calls on the rise - 09 July 2003The Allouez-based Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling is on pace to have a record-setting number of calls to its hotline this year. The total number of calls for the first half of the year was 4,411. Over the course of 2002, the hotline received a record 7,550 calls. Rose Gruber, the council's executive director, sai - read more »

Court voids MTR Gaming’s license for Pennsylvania track - 08 July 2003An unexpected court ruling in Pennsylvania has taken a racetrack license away from Edson "Ted" Arneault, chief executive officer of MTR Gaming Group of Chester, West Virginia.Last September, the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission awarded Arneault the next-to-last Thoroughbred license in Pennsylvania so he could - read more »

Just how far off is that jackpot? - 08 July 2003The whirring, the flashing lights, the ever-present hope of a big payout... whatever keeps players of fruit machines going, campaigners are claiming that the software inside the machines is giving them little or no chance of winning a jackpot. Hardware hackers have found that the majority of UK fruit machines pre-deter - read more »

Holiday weekend finds most raving about the Borgata - 07 July 2003Curiosity brought most of the crowds to the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa over the weekend, but Joe von der Hayden, of West Deptford, was only looking for a place to cool off."My air conditioner is broke in the house, so I figured I'd come down here and spend a few hours to get out of the afternoon heat," said von der Ha - read more »

Competing for gamblers spurs expansion, price wars - 07 July 2003Thunder Valley Casino upped the ante for gaming in Northern California when the $215 million complex opened last month in Placer County. Competition, saturation marketing and swelling demand are helping drive new casino proposals and a new wave of expansions by tribal casinos around the region. The Thunder Valley openi - read more »

From beer to limousines, vendors tap casino cash - 07 July 2003It takes more than slot machines and blackjack dealers to keep a casino running. Beer, for example. So Nor-Cal Beverage Co. Inc. of West Sacramento welcomed the opening of Thunder Valley Casino. "They have become my No. 1 on-premise customer overnight," said Tim Deary, Nor-Cal vice president of beer operations. Million - read more »

Trump rips N.Y. track slots after losing bid to run them - 06 July 2003Call it shameless or call is chutzpah: Donald Trump, whose casino company was beat out by MGM Mirage for the contract to operate slots at Aqueduct, bought a full-page ad in Tuesday's New York Times urging state leaders to "Say NO to slots at the racetrack."Trump pounced on an investigation by Attorney General Eliot Spi - read more »

Borgata’s no-children policy surprises some - 06 July 2003A family-friendly resort? Not the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, some say. Families who arrived Saturday to check out Atlantic City's newest attraction were greeted by a placard next to the elevators on each level of the garage: "No persons under 18 years of age are permitted into Borgata except for registered guests of - read more »

Casino designs thrown out the window - 06 July 2003No windows and doors. Keep the outside world as far away as possible. Anything that distracts a gambler from the floor, say casino designers, is bad for business. But when the Mashantucket Pequots and Mansfield-based New England Design drew up the first designs for Foxwoods Resort Casino in the early 1990s, huge window - read more »

Casino gala fit for King - 04 July 2003Elvis impersonators and casinos go together like chips and salsa. So it seems only appropriate that the Flying Elvi sky-diving team, made famous by the movie Honeymoon in Vegas, will drop in on tonight's grand opening of the expansion at Casino Del Sol in Tucson. After all, the casino went big-time Las Vegas with its h - read more »

Polson conference explores Indian gaming issues - 04 July 2003When the Good Lord - or Great Spirit, as it may be - distributed gamblers throughout North America, he didn't do it randomly, or even fairly, from the perspective of American Indian tribes. “A handful of big operations is where most of the money is,” Philip Hogen, chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission in Wa - read more »

Federal judge backs tribes in casino bid - 03 July 2003A federal judge has ruled in favor of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw, removing a significant legal hurdle in the tribes' bid to build a casino near Florence. Judge Thomas Coffin said Tuesday that Secretary of Interior Gale Norton didn't abuse her power when she granted special status to t - read more »

Katz reveals partners in casino plan - 03 July 2003Philadelphia mayoral candidate Sam Katz released the names of his 21 partners in a proposed Indian casino in California yesterday, saying media queries had prompted him to get their permission to be identified.Katz said all 21 readily agreed to disclose their names."It was a lot easier than I thought it would be," the - read more »

Mystic Lake Casino to add cards - 03 July 2003Mystic Lake Casino is expanding its gaming again, offering the card games that have bolstered Canterbury Park's purses and bottom line. Supporters of the added card games say the casino is responding to customer demand while supporters of the track are concerned the move is retribution for Canterbury's attempts to win - read more »

Atlantic City Gets New, Modern Casino - 03 July 2003The 2,002 rooms are wired for high-speed Internet access. The 3,650 slot machines spit out tickets, not coins. The shower stalls are built for two - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.Then there's Mixx, a restaurant-nightclub featuring private club rooms, available for rent by couples seeking a little privacy.After three years o - read more »

Tribe's casino report blasted - 02 July 2003Critics of the proposed San Manuel Bingo and Casino expansion say the tribe's suggestions last week to ease the impact of the plans fall short of satisfying their concerns.Leaders from the neighborhoods surrounding the casino on Victoria Avenue say they want a document with teeth, in which the tribe would commit to giv - read more »

Casino ups ante on kittens - 02 July 2003If the Payson Humane Society's half-price kitten sale didn't tempt you, now you can take one home for free courtesy of Mazatzal Casino.The Tonto Apaches upped the ante by agreeing to provide a $25 gift certificate for Payson Feed & Pet Supply to each person who adopts a kitten between now and the end of July. "People p - read more »

Casino du Lac-Leamy goes smoke-free - 02 July 2003Smokers in the region have one less place to satisfy their nicotine cravings.The Casino du Lac-Leamy, along with the Casino de Charlevoix in eastern Quebec, became virtually smoke-free as of yesterday. On July 21, the Casino de Montréal will also become a non-smoking establishment.Two years ago, the casino became mainl - read more »

Harrah's to sell Vicksburg, Miss. casino - 02 July 2003Harrah's Entertainment Inc. has agreed to sell its Vicksburg casino and hotel for undisclosed terms to an affiliate of Columbia Sussex Corp., a privately-owned hotel, resort and casino operator.The property is among the smallest of the 26 casinos operated by Las Vegas-based Harrah's. The company has been expanding two - read more »

Gala Electric Casino spins into Cardiff - 02 July 2003One of the UK's leading casino chains has opened its first venue in Wales.Gala Casinos has invested several million pounds in the casino situated in the UGC Cinema complex in the centre of Cardiff.The Gala Electric Casino, which has created 50 jobs,offers traditional casino games such as blackjack and American roulette - read more »

Dockside casino wants lease concessions - 02 July 2003Saying that losses are mounting while revenue is dropping, officials with Bally's Casino are asking for lease concessions from the dockside gambling hall's landlord, the Orleans Levee Board. The proposed deal would cost the flood control agency nearly $900,000 a year in future payments, levee agency officials said. Dur - read more »

McPherson gets probation on gambling and theft charges - 02 July 2003Adrian McPherson avoided jail time by pleading no contest to gambling and theft charges on Wednesday. The former Florida State quarterback will serve 30 months of probation. McPherson was accused of stealing a blank check from a business and cashing it for $3,500. He will also have to perform at least 25 hours of commu - read more »

Bingeing on bingo - 01 July 2003Nancy lied about losing. Lied about the maxed-out credit cards, the overdue bills. She lied to her husband. Lied to herself."You start making deals with yourself," she says. "You tell yourself, 'I won't spend over a certain amount of money tonight.' But you do. And you go home hating yourself."Nancy, legal secretary at - read more »

Indiana gaming foes planning campaign - 01 July 2003Opponents of a proposed casino in Orange County have organized a political action committee to campaign against bringing legalized gambling the area.The committee, known as the Orange County Coalition Against Gambling, plans to raise money in the coming weeks -- with a goal of up to $25,000 -- to help pay for booths at - read more »

IGT buying LV 'bonusing' company for $130 million - 01 July 2003Slot and video poker machine manufacturer International Game Technology said today it has approved an agreement to acquire Acres Gaming Inc., a Las Vegas maker of slot machine bonusing systems that aim to build loyalty among slot players who patronize certain casinos.IGT will pay $11.50 per share in cash for Acres, or - read more »

Secret Witness offers reward in casino scam - 01 July 2003Secret Witness offered a $500 reward Monday for information leading to a prosecution in a case involving the use of a stolen credit card to get cash from local casinos.A man is suspected of using the credit card June 25 at the Eldorado Hotel-Casino and at the Reno Hilton about 15 minutes later to get cash advances tota - read more »